History of the Peloponnesian War

Thus they excluded the Mytilenaeans from the use of the sea; but as for the land, the Mytilenaeans and the other Lesbians, who had now come to their aid, dominated all the island, except the small strip held by the Athenians in the neighbourhood of their camps, and it was Malea rather than their camps that they used as a station for boats and supplies. Such was the course of the war at Mytilene.

About the same time during this summer the Athenians sent also on a cruise round the Peloponnesus thirty ships with Asopius son of Phormio as commander; for the Acarnanians had requested them to send them as commander either a son or some other kinsman of Phormio's.

And the ships as they sailed past ravaged the coast of Laconia.

Afterwards Asopius sent most of the ships back home, but had twelve with him when he reached Naupactus. Then later, having called out all the forces of the Acarnanians, he made an expedition against Oeniadae, sailing with the ships up the Achelous, while his army on land ravaged the country.

As, however, the inhabitants would not come over to him, he dismissed his army, but himself sailed to Leucas and made a descent upon Nericus. On his way back from Nericus he and part of his army were slain by the people of that place, who rallied to its defence, and by a few guards.[*](Foreigners (φρουρῶν as opposed to τῶν αὐτόθεν ξυνβοηθησάντων), possibly Corinthians.)

The Athenians first stood out to sea and then later recovered their dead from the Leucadians under a truce.

Meanwhile the Mytilenaean envoys who had been sent on the first ship, having been told by the Lacedaemonians to present themselves at Olympia, in order that the other members of the alliance also might hear them and take counsel, came to Olympia. It was the Olympiad in which Dorieus[*](Dorieus son of Diagoras was victor three times in succession at Olympia (Paus. 6.7.1), as well as in numerous other contests (Paus. 6.7.4). He fought in the Decelean war on the Spartan side (8.35.1; Xen. Hell. 1.1.2), and was captured by the Athenians, but on account of his fame as an athlete was released without ransom (Xen. Hell. I. v. 19; Paus. 6.7.4, 5).) the Rhodian won his second victory.